CALLING IN SICK TODAY?

I started getting sick again Tuesday night when the temperature plummeted. On Wednesday, my nose just kept running and running. I must have gone through 400 tissues. D, who sits to my right, kept waving a stack of papers at me, as if to blow the germs back at me. This means war. It's now my mission to actually get him sick.

I was taking some tablet medication that melts in your mouth Wednesday afternoon. I felt like it was having no affect whatsoever, so I stopped at Walgreens on the way home at 2 a.m. The very same Walgreens on Airline where Paul once dropped off a hooker in the middle of the night after declining to hit that.

I bought some Zicam cold and flu medication. I got a liquid bottle for both day and night. When I existed the store, two cop cars were in the parking lot with their lights flashing. My first instinct was to make sure my car was OK. Check. My next instinct was to see what the fuss was about. The cops had pulled over some dude and were giving him the once-over. I breifly (spelling error on purpose for Jelly to shake her head at) contemplated snapping a picture before getting the fuck out of there.

I downed a serving of the night medication while watching Pushing Daises and passed out at the end of the show. I woke up four hours later and took another dose. I then woke at the sound of my phone at 12:45 p.m. Thursday afternoon. It was Paul wondering if I was on my way to Copeland's for lunch. Uh, not exactly.

I got out of bed and stumbled a bit. Son of a bitch, I felt worse than Wednesday. I called John Clayton and put my work status at questionable. I thought maybe a steak at 25 percent off at Copeland's would help heal me. It did. But only for a moment. When I got home, I rubbed some Vick's on my nose and chest to help with the breathing.

My mom told me I should skip work and rest because I looked awful. In two and a half years of working at the T-P at full-time hours, I only recall calling in sick once. That was this past January. The last time I missed any school time because of illness was the week before Christmas in the fourth grade. I had perfect attendance in the second half of fourth grade, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, 11th and 12th grade. I missed five days in 10th grade after I broke my tibula.

In four years of college, I only missed class if I skipped it. Never because of illness. So, I was determined to make it to work Thursday. And I did. Still feel bad, though. Must go to sleep. Let's see if I make it in Friday.

THE TINA CURSING CORNER

My mom takes a look at my face. "Your nose is fucking raw."

Mom and I are talking. She was watching onDemand and had it on pause. OnDemand doesn't let you permanently pause, and so the show restarts as we are chatting. "Damn it. I hate that fucking thing."

Mom decides that it is possible to take the ACT for someone else. "All you need is their fucking social security number."

AL KNEW HIS WAY AROUND A BISCUIT

When the waitress brought out our food at Copeland's today, I asked her nicely why we didn't have our biscuits. After all, every meal comes with a biscuit there, right? She apologized and brought the two biscuits out on a separate plate. I then chowed down on my discounted filet and biscuit with a side of fries.

As I was finishing my meal, I glanced up to notice that Paul hadn't touched his biscuit. I got excited because that meant he probably didn't want it and that I could have it. Wrong.

Me: So, you're not going to eat your biscuit?
Paul: That's for me?
Me: Yes.
Paul: Oh. I thought it was for you.
Me: You thought your meal came with no biscuits and mine came with two?
Paul: Well, you asked for them.

Note: I ate the second biscuit. He was full. Score.

PARTING SHOTS
Marcus gets word from the news section that they are using the story on the suspension situation with Deuce, Grant and Smith. He announces it to Derry, referring to the story by its name on the budget.

Marcus: OK. News will be taking drugs.

I'm reading a prep story.

Me: Hey, Marcus. Is that Bastrop kid from here?
Sandy: At first, I thought he said bastard kid.

D is reading a cross country story.

D (to me): You run cross country in high school?
Me: No.
D: You Marcus?
Tommy: Marcus can't even drive cross country.

Marcus wants to know if Vieux Carre has an accent.

D: You know what Vieux Carre means?
Marcus: No.
D: Old Square.
Marcus: So, that's your nickname?

THE DAILY TOP LIST
I've done several music lists, but somehow I've avoided listing my top bands. I separate the bands before my time and the bands of my time. I'm going to give you my top 20 bands of my time in four installments, just like the TV show list from way back when. I must like at least two albums by the band for it to qualify.

20) Good Charlotte.
Something tells me I shouldn't like them, but their tunes are quite catchy.

19) Incubus.
How do they do it? Make me feel like I do. How do they do it? It's better than I ever knew.

18) Matchbox Twenty.
Always good to pop in at 3 a.m. when I want to sit back, relax and reflect on life.

17) My Chemical Romance.
First heard them by "borrowing" one of those CDs we used to get in the Maroon office from the record companies. Still have it, too.

16) Better Than Ezra.
The only band in today's list that I've seen in person. I especially heart the songs about New Orleans.